In 2000, Mannheim first launched an energy-efficient refurbishment fund to double the refurbishment rate of its private residential buildings. The fund mainly focuses on one to two family houses (since 2012 also three family houses) built until 1986, which accounts for almost 50% of the city’s residential building stock (approx. 40,000 houses).
The fund provides grants of up to €10,000 per house for energy-efficient upgrades: e.g. external wall insulation, roof insulation, top floor ceiling insulation and energy-efficient windows (only if combined with wall/roof insulation).
The fund is accompanied by free energy advisory services. The city’s Climate Protection Agency offers energy consultation and calculates potential energy saving for free. Furthermore, the City offers the ‘Energy Caravan’, a free door-to-door-energy consulting service. The Caravan takes place each year in selected blocks of minimum 400 houses each. Each house owner receives free energy consultation and information about available funding schemes. In 2013, the Caravan contacted 2,000 houses of which 25% accepted the invitation for free consultation. The City runs a new Caravan in 2014.
Find more about the Mannheim energy-efficient refurbishment fund in the CASCADE good practices collection.